What could be a consequence of defamation?

The consequence of defamation includes potential legal action for damaging a person’s reputation. Defamation occurs when false statements are made about someone that can harm their reputation, leading to various negative outcomes, both personally and professionally. In a medical context, if a healthcare professional makes false remarks about a patient or another professional, that individual may choose to pursue legal action to protect their reputation and seek damages. This legal avenue is grounded in the premise that everyone has the right to defend their good name against unfounded claims.

The other options focus on different aspects of law and ethics that do not directly relate to the consequences of defamation. Loss of patient confidentiality pertains to breaches of privacy, while proving negligence and finding malpractice involve proving harm due to a breach of duty of care or standards in medical treatment rather than reputational harm.